Previously published on April 20, 2022
Sioux City, Iowa – It all started with a ride-along. Today, School Resource Officer Nick Thompson connects with youth by walking the hallways of schools in the Sioux City Community School District.
Nick was born and raised in the Sioux City area before attending Western Iowa Tech. For many years he knew wanted to make a positive impact on the Siouxland community and ended up finding his calling through a ride-along with local law enforcement.
Nick witnessed, first-hand, what it’s like to be a police officer and immediately knew how he would eventually impact many. The thought of solving new challenges every day and helping others truly inspired him.
At just 20-years-old, Nick joined the Storm Lake Police Department as a patrol officer before working as a general investigation detective. In 2011 his roots led him to the Sioux City Police Department where he now serves as a first-year School Resource Officer at West Middle School.
Nick now brings a diverse background to his role as an SRO. Since joining the Sioux City Police department, he has worked as a Crimes Against Persons Detective investigating robberies, homicides, and abuse/assault cases. He served on the Hostage and Crisis Negotiator team for many years and now supports his SRO role by serving as a Spanish translator, a training officer, and a bicycle patrol instructor.
“The thing I find most rewarding about being an SRO is being able to see the impact police can have on youth. When working on traditional patrol, it’s difficult to see what positive impact officers have on the community.”
Each day, Nick strives to provide safety and security in school while serving as a role model.
“I have found it very advantageous to build relationships with kids. By working in our schools, I can build positive relationships with kids and influence them to make good choices.”
Initially, Nick struggled to have confidence in the impact he was making. However, with time and experience, his impact quickly shined through the connections and relationships he formed.
One of the most invaluable connections for Nick has been school counselors. Counselors not only serve as a sounding board for Nick but provide the listening power and tools needed to help students succeed.
“I think as adults, we sometimes forget to see things through the eyes of kids. We may pass things off as petty or unimportant, but our team does a great job of making sure kids can be heard by working together.”